The present invention relates to a shipping and sales box for conic waffles. It is customary that waffle members for cornets are piled and packed in rectangular cartons, which can be stacked together and transported to a receiving place, which can be a retail shop for ice-cream cones or shops where the cornet boxes are sold for home consumption of the cornets. Likewise, long-distance transport of whole container loads of the cornets to receiving places takes place, from where the cornets are distributed to the receivers. In connection with major consignments it is also known that the stacked cornets are placed on a plate formed base in several rows which are mutually separated by upright carton separators and on top of such a layer, yet another support plate can be placed to accommodate a further layer of cornets. Several such layers can then be packed in a correspondingly large carton box.
These kinds of packaging are none too efficient as it is well-known that for long transports and several reloadings a considerable waste must be accepted and, 20% is not unusual. It should be considered here that the cornets are relatively inexpensive items which do not warrant any considerable increase in cost of special packing as technically speaking it would present no problem to procure a more protective packing.
The invention takes into consideration that such packaging may be desirable if it can reduce the waste substantially as well as offering a relevant reusage value. It is realized with the invention that such a combination is achievable when using a supported packing which can protect the individual rows of cornets and which via its stiffness and spatial structure can be reused as support element for single cornets in their usual, vertical oriented position for use. It is well known that for preparing and handling out filled cornets, it can be difficult to handle the cornets unless use is made of a cornet holder shaped as a support plate having accommodating holes for the cornets, i.e. having an empty space underneath the holes for receiving the downwards projecting ends of the cornets. This requires a suspended position of the support plate, e.g. above a table top, i.e. an actual stand, and in connection with the invention it is recognized that such a stand could consist of a stiff, supporting and protecting packing for the cornets. More particularly, this packing is constructed such that a support plate part thereof is provided with the support holes for the cornets and when the same support plate part is connected to upwards projecting plate or leg parts which, without weighing down on the cornets, can accommodate the weight of one or several boxes on top and which, in and isolated condition, can be turned around to a position where the free ends of the actual plate or leg parts can be supported by a table top and thereby suspending the support plate at such a height above the table top that the pertinent cornets can be inserted into the support holes and can be accommodated in the support holes without reaching down to the table top.
An especially suitable embodiment of the invention comprises a support member shaped in such a manner that its top side is suitably rounded for supporting the lower portion of the circumference of the wide end parts of the cornets in the pertinent piled, lying row of cornets, while at one end it has a semiconical part for supporting the outermost exposed cornet in the pile or row of cornets. This particular support and associated side support of the base cornet of the pile has proved quite essential for achieving a reduced percentage of waste, as a free movement or rolling ability of the outer end of the base cornet in both vertical and horizontal directions otherwise contribute to the damages that occur during handling and transport of the cornet boxes. This significant advantage can be achieved even though the actual support area be perforated by one or more of the support holes for the cornets as such local perforations will not be crucial for the required stability of the cornet support.
Thus, one important aspect of the invention is the provision of a special carrier member for the cornets, and because such members should be pilable, with or without a surrounding carton, they will be attractive for use in direct connection with the production of the cornets where they may act as recipients for the warm cornets delivered from the cornet baking machines, such that it will be unnecessary to arrange for a later transfer of the cornets from the traditional recipients to the carrier members. However, with the use of such carrier members as recipients the serious problem would occur that the warm cornets are isolated from the convection air which is otherwise produced by the cornets when rested on a more open receiving surface, and it will be appreciated that the discussed holes in the carrier members according to the invention will show the important advantage of allowing convection or cooling air to penetrate the carrier member. For securing a desired maximum crispness of the cornets it is important that they are air cooled relatively quickly after leaving the baking machine.
It will be appreciated, therefore that the discussed holes may serve two entirely different purposes.